Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
important characteristics that make biomethane in the gas network so
attractive is that the gas is transported to the place where the end product is
needed and it can be stored. As gas, biomethane is conveyed to where the
heat from cogeneration is also needed. This means another substantial
improvement in biogas efficiency. In the future, the storage capacities of the
available natural gas infrastructure will attain particular importance
because they can hold very large volumes of biogas/biomethane from
which electric power and heat can be produced where and when needed.
Even if - unlike wind and photovoltaics - the production of biogas is limited
and the cost of electricity from biogas today is clearly higher than the cost of
wind power and (on an equivalent level) solar electricity, the fact that
biomethane can be stored will secure an important function for that gas in
future power supply systems. Besides, biomethane could also be used as fuel
for powering vehicles available in the market today.
Due to its variable uses, storability and high energy efficiency,
biomethane will perform an important function in a future sustainable
power supply system. How fast and at what cost this function can be
performed depends largely on the general political and legal conditions.
These should enable suppliers of biogas technology to proceed with research
and development to make biogas technology fit for the challenges of the
future. It will also be necessary to press ahead with positive public relations
to improve the public acceptance of biogas plants. It can already be seen
that wherever several biogas plants are constructed, action groups against
them are formed. The biogas industry and governments must focus on
communication of the positive role of biogas in a future sustainable power
supply system.
1.6 Sources of further information and advice
Biogas can do it (Biogas kann's), Information booklet with answers to FAQs around
biogas, www.biogas-kanns.de
Biogas Forum Bayern, www.biogas-forum-bayern.de
European Biogas Association (EBA), www.european-biogas.eu
European Renewable Energy Council (EREC), www.erec.org/
European Renewable Energy Federation (EREF), www.eref-europe.org/
German Biogas Association (GBA), Fachverband Biogas e.V., www.biogas.org
German Federal Environment Agency (Umwelt Bundesamt UBA), www.
umweltbundesamt.de/energie-e/index.htm
German Renewable Energy Agency, Agentur fu¨ r erneuerbare Energien (AEE), www.
unendlich-viel-energie.de/en/homepage.html
IEA Bioenergy Task 37, http://www.iea-biogas.net/
Information portal on renewable energies in Germany and Europe, German Federal
Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
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